Meanwhile, On Earth
by Kyle on Ice
Summary: Gaz and Dib try to help Cam through the loss of her sister. Zim might hold the solution to her mysterious disappearance.  Companion story to 'Astronaut Donuts'.  Zim/OC
1. Skool Projects

**Cam lived with Gaz, Dib, and their father Professor Membrane. Cam's legal guardian was her sister Kat. Unfortunately, being an astronaut meant not spending a whole lot of time at home. Luckily, Kat was a good friend of Professor Membrane, so Cam was welcome in their house whenever Kat was on a mission.**

"Class, your next hideous assignment in your miserable skool lives that will inevitably fail you in the real world is a disgusting project on the lifeless black vacuum we call outer space." Miss Bitters managed to spit out in one breath.

"Yes!" Dib, Zim, and Cam jumped for joy at the same time. "This'll be easy!" They all thought.

Miss Bitters twitched in irritation, scowling at the excited children. "You know happiness is forbidden in the classroom!" Miss Bitters snapped at the three.

"Sorry, Miss Bitters." The three chimed.

_BRIIIIIIING!_

The final bell for the day rang.

Walking out of Skool, Cam met up with Gaz.

"Hey, Gaz."

"Not right now, Cam. I'm in the zone." Gaz responded, deftly pressing the buttons of her Game Slave 2.

Cam shrugged and pulled out a book to read as the two waited for Dib to finish harassing Zim so the three could head home.

Cam had gotten past ten pages in her book when the yelling of Dib and Zim started getting closer.

"This project should be easy for you, shouldn't it Zim? You are an _alien_ after all! You've lived in outer space your whole life!"

"LIES! I am but a normal human worm baby! I've lived on this filthy planet my whole life!" Zim screamed his denial.

Cam glanced up from her book at the big-headed paranormal expert and the outlandish incompetent alien visitor. "Hey Zim."

Zim jumped back at Cam's greeting "Well! I must go now, to check on my…."

"Spaceship?" Dib attempted finishing Zim's sentence.

"NO! My…..toilet! Yes, my toilet! Goodbye, _**filthy human**_!" Zim promptly ran off to many bewildered stares.

"Are you finished, Dib?" Gaz growled, clearly irritated at the rivalry between her bother and the alien.

"Yes, I am." Dib ignored her attitude.

The three then started off towards home; the two girls ignoring Dib's incessant ranting about Zim.

Surprisingly, when they finally arrived home, Prof. Membrane was actually present.

"Ah, kids! Good to see you home! How was school today?"

Cam was the first to answer "Dib and I have to do our own projects on outer space. I'm doing mine on Kat."

"Excellent! And Dib, are you going to be doing your project on REAL SCIENCE, instead of those demented fantasies of aliens you insist are real?"

"They are real, dad! And I am doing my project on them!" Dib ran up to his room, determined to start on his project.

Gaz saved her game in anticipation of her father asking her about her day.

"And how was your day, honey?"

"It was okay, I guess."

"Good to hear, honey!" Membrane exclaimed as Gaz drudged up the stairs on her way to her room.

He then turned to Cam.

"Cam would you like me to set up a video link to Kat's ship so you can speak with her about your project?"

"Yes, please! Thank you!"

Cam followed the Professor down to the basement lab, watching him press buttons and rearrange wires of various colours and sizes all connected to a gigantic screen fixed on the center of the wall in the back of the lab.

Once he was done, he pressed one final button and flicked a switch.

He gave a concerned look when the two were only greeted with static.

"That's odd." He mumbled, pressing a few more buttons, he tried again.

Nothing changed.

He seemed alarmed.

"Cam, why don't you go up and play with Dib or Gaz?"

"Is Kat ok, Professor?"

"I don't know. I'm going to check some systems at the downtown labs. She's probably fine, but…..it's best to be safe. Try going upstairs and play with Dib or Gaz—It'll help keep your mind off her."

Cam nodded as he rushed out the door. She darted up the stairs and knocked on Dib's door. Gaz was her best friend, but Cam knew thing like this were difficult for her.

Dib opened the door of his room. "Hey, Cam."

"Hey. Can I come in?"

Dib pondered this for a moment. "Well, I'm working on my project right now, but…..ok."

He stepped aside and Cam walked in, taking a seat on the edge of his bed as he returned to his computer.

"So what's up?" Dib asked whilst typing away on his computer.

"It's Kat." Cam spoke numbly. Her muscles were tense with worry and she couldn't seem to stop gnawing at her lower lip.

"What happened?" He spun around in his chair to face her.

"Your dad was trying to set up a video link with her ship, but all that came back was static. So, he tried again, and nothing happened….She might be dead." Cam tried holding back her tears, but several escaped; dripping down her cheeks.

Dib sat speechless. "I-I'm sorry, Cam."

He walked over, sitting down next to her. She tried taking deep breaths to stop her crying. Dib watched silently. This girl was like a sister to him. She practically _was_ his sister. It hurt to see her in so much pain.

"Cam, you know you're like a sister to me, and if there's anything I can do…"

She hugged him.

"Thank, Dib. That means a lot."

And it did. The people in this house were practically the only family she had aside from Kat, and now they could be the only family she had left.

Dib gave her a small smile. "No problem. Can I do anything?"

Cam shook her head. "I think I'll just hang out with Gaz for a bit."

Dib nodded, returning to his computer as Cam walked out the door.

Standing in the hallway, Cam could hear the sounds of video games coming from the living room. Walking down, she joined Gaz on the couch.

"Hey." Gaz acknowledged her.

"Hey." Cam greeted back.

"You wanna do 'versus' mode?" Gaz asked without removing her eyes from the screen.

"Sure." Cam replied, picking up the extra wireless controller.

While they were playing, Cam clued Gaz in on the current situation. "Oh." was Gaz's only reply, though Cam did notice a twinge of sympathy and a subtle look of worry for the next several hours.

Eventually, dinner rolled around, and Professor Membrane still hadn't returned from his visit to the downtown labs. The three children ate their dinner in an uncomfortable silence. The next day was Saturday, so the trio decided to stay up later to wait for the Professor's return and the news he'd bring with him.


	2. The Truth Comes Out

Saturday morning Cam, Dib, and Gaz sat on the couch watching _Mysterious Mysteries_ and playing video games after a restless night's sleep. It was around 10am when Professor Membrane finally returned from his urgent visit to the downtown labs to check on Kat's mission. "Kids, I have some….bad news." The three young pairs of eyes widened. '_Bad news'_ could only mean one thing. Tears welled in Cam's eyes until they began pouring down her cheeks. Dib placed his hand on her shoulder while Gaz reluctantly patted her back as she cried.

Even though she knew what he was going to say, Cam found it somehow hurt even more to hear the Professor say it aloud "Cam, I'm sorry. All communication has been lost with Kat's ship. Before communication was lost, the data says the ship collided with an unidentified object, then promptly crashing into an object of even greater magnitude." "So she's…"Cam trailed off. Professor Membrane nodded sadly "I'm afraid so."

That night, when everyone went to bed, the house seemed to be shrouded in a blanket of gloom. The household remained clouded in the depressing silence until Monday when the three left for skool and the Professor left for work. Today was the day Cam and Dib's class presented their projects on outer space. Cam still planned to do her presentation on Kat. She felt it was the right thing to do, in honor of her sister.

Cam made her presentation right after Zim, who got a ninety-three from Miss Bitters for his project's "overall depressing and defeatist tone regarding the future of mankind and the universe". Dib was still picking bits of garbage that the other students had pelted at him off his person, but paused to give Cam an encouraging smile and a thumbs-up. Cam nodded at him, her smile sad. Dib noticed during Cam's report that Zim was paying an unusual amount of attention. His eyes would widen with realization of some sort every now and then, and by the time Cam was finished her report he wore a look of plain discomfort and mild confusion. Dib glared at him, but it went completely ignored by Zim, who was caught up in his own devious plots and musings.

Not long after Cam finished her presentation, skool was let out. Zim wished to speak to the Cam worm-baby alone. He almost laughed at the fact she thought her older sister to be dead, though such a thought truly is not humorous at all. Once the Dib filth had left her to attend to his locker (though why elementary school children would need lockers is anyone's guess) Zim leapt in front of the Cam worm-baby's path. Startled, she nearly fell backwards, but caught her footing. "Oh my god! Zim you scared the crud out of me! What do you want?" "I am here to inform you that you have acquired the honor to be in the glorious presence of Zim while I walk home." Not waiting for her response, instead grabbing her arm and running out the building and away from the school. He did not want the Dib-creature to return and yell at him for conversing with her. Then he'd never be able to inform her of her sister's current position.

When they had finally slowed down Cam was even more confused than she had been before. She didn't talk to Zim very much besides the occasional greeting when she saw him around; usually in some sort of fight with Dib. "Zim, what do you want? And why did you drag me by the arm running for half a block?" Zim looked suspiciously to his left and then right before replying in his signature overly-dramatic tone "Not here. It isn't safe. _Anyone_ could be listening." Out of sheer curiosity she followed him back to his house. She figured it was safe enough. Gaz had told her multiple times how bad Zim was at pretty much anything 'evil', and there wasn't really anything for her to be afraid of going to his house.

When they arrived, they found GIR sitting on the couch watching _The Angry Monkey Show_. Seeing Cam, he gasped. He wasn't wearing his disguise! "Oh no! Master, there's a human in the house!" Zim pinched the bridge of what would be his nose "Yes, I know, GIR. I brought her here." GIR paused for a moment, imitating what appeared to be thought "OK!" he screamed "Hey, lady do you want some muffins?" "No, thank you, I-" He cut her off before she could finish "How 'bout some waffles? Cookies? MEATLOAF?" "GIR!" Zim snapped at the insane little robot, "She doesn't want anything! Now go…uh…." "I'M GONNA GO DANCIN'!" the small metal lunatic ran out the front door, pulling on his disguise. "Yes! Um, that!" Zim called out as if GIR had been following instructions. "_Anyway_," he turned to Cam "Come with me." He walked over to stand in front of one of the end tables near the couch. The table then moved out of place, revealing a lift that Zim then stood on. He motioned for Cam to join him. Still curious, but now a bit more wary, she joined him. The two descended underground, underneath the urban façade of the house, where all the excitement really took place.

Zim finally took off his disguise, revealing his red eyes and antennae. Cam had only seen him two or three times before without them, and it looked weird to her simply due to the fact she was not yet accustomed to seeing him this way. "What?" he asked her. She had not realized she had been noticeably scrutinizing his appearance. "Sorry, I'm just not used to seeing you without your wig and contacts," she stated plainly. "Oh." He led her down a hallway, eventually stopping at one of the many doors. He stopped her as she started to follow him into the room "Wait here," he instructed. And she did.

Inside the room Zim had gone into was the huge display monitor Zim typically used to contact the Tallest. "Computer! Contact the Massive!" When the Tallest were displayed on screen, they were visibly annoyed and munching on nachos. "Why do these nachos have no jalapeños?" Purple yelled. Red looked up and noticed Zim. He nudged Purple, whose attention then shifted to the Massive's giant monitor as well. Both groaned. "What do you want now Zim?" Red asked. Zim saluted his Tallest before posing his question "I wish to speak with Tall Kat. I have important information regarding her home planet." "She's in the bathroom," Purple replied dismissively, still glaring angrily at his jalapeño-less nachos. "What do you want to tell her, anyway?" it was Red who spoke this time. Before he could answer, Kat had come back from the bathroom. "What're you talking about, guys? Oh, hey Zim." She smiled politely at aforementioned Irken. Zim saluted her as well before continuing "My Tall Kat! I have important information regarding your home planet Earth!" Kat's eyebrows raised "And what information would that be?" "Everyone here thinks you are dead due to your spaceship crash! Including your sister, the Cam-human." Kat's eyes widened. With all the excitement going on around her she hadn't even thought twice about what was going on back on Earth. "Shit shit shit SHIT!" she yelled guiltily, "How is she? Is she there? Let me talk to her." "Yes, my Tall Kat! I will fetch her at once!" was Zim's dutiful reply before he left the room.

Back in the hallway, Zim started to speak with Cam. "Cam-human." Cam smiled at this address. "Yes, Zim?" "Your older sister, Kat." Cam's smile fell. She didn't want to talk about her dead sister right now; especially not with an alien whom she barely even knew.

"What about her?"

"You think she is dead."

"Yes, because she is."

Zim laughed "Foolish human! Tall Kat is very much alive!"

Cam frowned. Now he was just talking crazy talk. Before she could correct him, he motioned her to follow him into the room he had told her to wait outside of just a few minutes ago "Follow me." Again, she did so.

Entering the monitor room, Cam gaped at the giant sight of her sister's still very much alive face on the enormous screen. Kat smiled at her, "Hey, little sis. What's up?" she greeted Cam as if she hadn't believed she was dead not even thirty seconds ago.


End file.
